March: Patrner

   A dog brooks no excuses. Who cares that it's 35 degrees at daybreak with a downpour pelting the pavement? A cold nuzzle at your cheek says that it's time to get out of bed for your customary run.

   This is only one reason that dogs better humans as running partners. You can't reason or beg your way out of a workout. A dog knows when You're shirking. Pleading eyes will follow you around the house like your mother's guilt. Worse, dogs will always hold up their end of the bargain. Unlike humans, they will never cancel, show up late, or beg to knock off early.

   As athletes go, most dogs are superior to humans, certainly in speed. In all likelihood, your pup can beat the snot out of you. And yet better dogs obligingly run at your pace, along whatever course you decide - no whining, if trained right, and only the occasional urge to move things a little faster or to stray in pursuit of more interesting diversions, especially frightful, disgusting smells.

   This brings up another advantage dogs have over humans: no talking. To be sure, many runners seek people partners for conversation. These relationships can be profoundly intimate, crucially supportive. Yet it's also true that when dialogue dominates the workout, either the intensity of the run or depth of the conversation suffers. A dog will listen to your lust for a coworker, your mortal fear of circus clowns, or your secret desire to wear German lederhosen. The silent reply often lends perspective. Even better, it refocuses your efforts on the workout at hand.

   Dogs benefit from running too, both physically and for their general spirits. Notice that when a dog gets to invent a game, especially with another pup, some form of chase will ensue. Instinct and exuberance drive this great enterprise. Dog trainers will tell You that many puppy problem behaviors - chewing furniture, whining, accidents on the rug - can be curbed with more exercise rather than with punishment or measures of control. This is especially true for dogs confined to small yards and cramped urban apartments. Daily, obligatory walks from time-pressed owners rarely do a pooch justice.

   For workouts, dogs, like humans, gradually need to build distance. Respect the limits of ability - in the breed and also in the individual dog. Workouts on pavement shouldn't begin until the dog is nearly a year old. Be aware that heat stroke can kill a dog, even while your own body runs cool. If your terrier's tongue is dragging the ground, plan for water breaks and move your workouts to cooler parts of the day. Also be aware that dogs age more quickly than people and suffer many of the same afflictions: arthritis, osteoporosis, and general grumpiness.

   In fact, accommodation is the key to making a dog a great running partner at any moment of your mutual lives. All those cold, rainy workout mornings will eventually remind you why you love your dog. They'll remind you why you love running.